Pachyderm Forest: Zoo Gem or Elephant Graveyard?

It's one of those stories that has Only in L.A. stenciled all over it. The L.A. Times reports that as rock guitarist Slash and zoo employees rallied at City Hall to keep the L.A. Zoo's $42 million Pachyderm Forest habitat on track, Bob Barker has thrilled animal-rights opponents of the forest with a $1.5 million pledge to keep it dead in the water.

The forest's opponents claim the proposed six-acre site is too small to accomodate the likes of Billy the Elephant, and are seeking his transfer to the larger Performing Animal Welfare Society in San Andreas. Barker's donation would go toward covering the costs of that move. Lining up for completion of the forest, which has already cost $12 million, is City Councilman Tom LaBonge; siding with its foes is Councilman Tony Cardenas.